End-gate and chute



J. C. STEPHENS.

I END GATE AND CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-8, 1921.

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END GATE AND CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED lAN.8, 1921. 1,384,71 3. Patented July 12, 1921.

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END GATE AND C I 1 F l HUTE.

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END GATE AND CHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED urns, 1921.

1,384,713. Patented July 12; 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4- Fey 4 "12 51 7 A 51 f1 30 z 56 r f 6 5130/2021 MENTORA'ITORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES CLAY STEPHENS, OF BRUCEVILLE, INDIANA.

' END-GATE AND CHUTE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. STEPHENS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Bruceville, in the county of Knox and State ofIndiana, have invented new and useful Improvments in End- Gates andChutes, of which the following is a specification. 7 This inventioncomprehends the provision of a combined endgate and stock chute for usein conjunction with stock wagons or the like, to facilitate loading andunloading of the latter. I

. 'One of the principal objects of the invention resides in providingadevice of the above mentioned character with which any stock wagon orthe like can be equipped without making any alterations to the wagon,the end gate constituting the floor of the chute when adevice is usedfor load ing or unloading the wagon.

Another object of the invention resides in providing an end gatemade upof relatively movable sections arranged in parallelism when formed as anend gate, and in an extended position when used as the floor of thechute, the latter also embodying side members which normally foldagainst the sides of the wagon, but which are mounted to be swungoutwardly, and-rearwardly therefrom for detachable association with thefloor of the chute.

In carrying out the invention I also provide means for holding the endgate in its normal position, and subsequently used to brace the sides ofthe chute when the component parts of the deviceflare associated todefine the chute. v

Other objects and advantages will appear when the following detaildescription is taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, theinvention-residing in the combination, construction and arrangement ofparts as claimed. 7

In the'drawingsforming part of this application like numerals ofreference indicate the similar parts in the several views and wherein iFigure 1 is-a-side elevation of a portion of a wagon body showing thechute in a position for use.

-Fig. 2is a similar view, showing the com ponent partsof the chutefolded intheir normal positions. Fig. 3 is an'endelevation, v

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through s rin 20 havin D b pSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented July 12, 1921 Applicationfiled January 8, 1921. Serial No. 435,959. I

the end gate showing the parts in their nor mal position V Fig. 5 is afragmentary view ofone of the side members of thechute.

Fig. 6 is atop plan view. v Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the hingesused in the construction.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the cushioning 'like elements 13 which engagebrackets 14;

of substantially U-shaped formation, which brackets are secured to thesill 15 of the wagon, This construction not only provides for a pivotalconnection between the section 10 of the end gate and the sill- 15, butalso allows the end gate in its entirety to be quickly mounted upon thewagon or removedtherefrom. The outer section 11 ex- .tends a slightdistance below the inner section 10when the parts are arranged to forman end gate for the wagon, and this projecting portion of the section 11is provided with an .elongated slot '16 to receive a resilient latchelement 17 which is terminally secured to the sill 15. The latch elementis provided with a shoulder 18 which engage the plate 19secured'to thesection 11. When the sections 10 and 11 provide-an end gate 1 for thewagon they are vertically disposed and spaced in parallelism. In ordertoprevent rattling of these sections I providea a compound curve asshown, the spring being secured medially of I its length to the section10 adjacent the lower edge thereof. When the sections are arranged inthe manner above stated the spring 20 is tensioned and exerts an outwardpres.-

sure against the section 11, and thereby hold- .ing this section ineffective contact with the latch 17 for the purpose stated. As abovepointed out the end gate constitutes the floor of the chute, and whenused in'this capacity the section 11 is swungupon its pivot 12outwardlyifrom the section 10, while the latter is swung upon its pivots1,4 to an inclined position with regard to. the ground, and the section11 forming iniits'extended position a continuation of the section 10.The body e of the wagon A is preferably provided with l slot 23 receivesthe headed element 25 carried by the adjacent .en'd 'section of thewagon body, the head of this element being arranged at right-angles tothe slot 24 when the locking bar 22 is extended transversely across theend gate. Consequently, in'order to associate the locking bar with theelement 25, the bar must be first' arranged vertically to' receive thehead of said element, subsequently this bar can be swung to its activeposition across the end gate. The slot 24 in the bar 22 is adapted toreceivean apertured lug 26, while :pivoted upon the bar 22' adjacent thelatter mentioned slot is a lever 27 including'a curved finger 28. Thefinger 28 passes'through the 'aperturedlug 26,and inthis manner thelocking bar 22 is maintained in active positionQ- In order to swing theend gate to Y position to constitute the floor of the chute,

it isnecessary to remove the bar 22. This can be accomplished byswingingthe lever 27 upon its pivot in a direction to move the finger 28- out ofthe opening of the lug, as

' the bar can be moved off said lug to release the end gate. s

30 indicates the sides of the chute, which are made up of a plurality ofstandards 31. of angle construction in cross section. A

plurality of'panels 32 which are pivoted as at 33 are connectedv withthe uprights 31.

Secured to the upright 31 adjacent the cor-- ner post of the wagon bodyis one end of an extension hinge 34 the oppositeend terminatingtoprovide a sleeve 35 of'the hinge which receives the pintle 36 and iscarried by a bracket 37 secured to the adjacent end section 21 of thewagon body. By reason 'of this construction, itis manifest that thesides 30 can be readily and easily swung upon their hingesto projectfrom the rear of the wagon body at the opposite sides of the end gate,when thelatt er is used in the capacity of the floor for said chute, orthese sides can be swung to their normal position 1 "against theopposed-sides of the wagon body as shown When thesides 30 are in theiractive position, the panels 32 move upon their pivots 33 to assume aninclinedposition with respect to the ground or surface.

Carried by the section 11 of the end gate is an apertured plate '38which receives the reduced lower extremity 39 of the adjacent standard31 to hold the sides 30in operative relation with respect .to the floorof the chute. This particular standard 31 includes a pivoted section31'. which when the invention is used as a chute, is swung upon itspivot to extend above the sides 30. Each pivoted section 31 carries anapertured lug indicated at 40. After the locking bar 22 has been removedfrom the wagon body, or

in other words fromits normal position, it

is utilized to brace the sides 30 of the chute.

In order to associate the locking bar 22 with said sides 30 of thelocking bar it receives the lug 40. A wedge or the like 44' is thenpassed through the slot 42 of the lug to hold the locking bar 22inproper position for use as a brace. The section 31 of the particularupright above referred to is associated with the latter by means of aslot and pin connection 45 and 46, and while this provides for thepivotal movement of the section 31, it is manifest that the latter mustbe moved until the pin 45 engages one end of the slot 46 before thesection 31 can be swung to an elevated or active position. When it isdesired to swing the sides 30 against the sides of the wagon body," thesection31 of said standard is swungiupon its pivot to lie between theends of said standard. I

The component parts of the invention are normally arranged as shown inFig. 1 with the sides 30 arranged against the sides of the wagon body,and the sections 10 and 11 of the end gate vertically disposed. When itis desired to use the chute for the purpose of loading or unloading theWagon, the resilient catch 17 is depressed until the section 11 can beseparatedtherefrom, whereupon this section is swung upon its pivot 12simultaneous with'the swinging of the sectionlO upon its pivot 14.During the move ment of the parts, the "section 11 is arranged in anextended position, constituting a continuation of the section 10 in theformation of the floor of the chute. The sides 30 are then swung uponthe'pintle 36 rearwardly of the wagon body. When swung to this positionthe panels 32 of said sides assume an inclined position with respect tothe ground, and the said sides are coupled to the floor. of the chute bymeans of the apertured plate-38 and theadjacent' standard 31.P'Subsequent ,to the use of the chute, the sides-are separated fromthebottom and returned to their normal positions. Any suit able meansmay be employed to hold the sides in thepositionshown in Fig. 2. Thefloor is then elevated, the section 10 swinging upon its pivots 14,and'the'section 11 swing, upon its pivot 12, and in this-manner the endgate sections are returned to their normal position with the resilientlatch '17 v passed through the slot 16 0f the section 11. The lockingbar 22 is of course initially removed from the outermost "standards: 31with which it was associated in. order to brace .the sides 30f of-x thechute, andthis locking bar is then'return'ed to its normal ositionacross the end gate and associated with the headed element 25 and theapertured lug 26.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature andadvantages 0 the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have itunderstood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown anddescribed, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fallwithin the scope of what is claimed.

What I claim is 1. The combination with a vehicle body, of an end gateincluding two sections pivotally connected together and normallydisposed parallel, one of said sections being hingedly mounted upon thewagon body, the other of said sections projecting below the hinge andhaving a slot, and a resilient latch projecting from the wagon andpassed through said slot to hold said sections parallel.

2. The combination with a vehicle body, of an-end gate including twopivotally connected sections normally disposed in spaced parallelrelation, one of said sections being ingedly mounted upon the wagonbody, the other of said sections projecting below said hinge and havinga slot, a resilient latchelement projecting from the wagon, and passedthrough said slot to hold said sections parallel, and cushioning meansinterposed between the sections and carried by one of sai sections forthe purpose specified.

3. The combination with a vehicle body, of an end gate including twopivotally connected sections normally disposed parallel, one of saidsections being hingedy mounted on the wagon body whereby said sectionscan be extended at an inclination to the ground to form the bottom of achute, said chute including side members hingedly mounted upon the bodyand normally arranged parallel with the sides of the latter, and adaptedto be swung to occupy positions at the pposite sides of said bottom, andmeans for detachably connecting the sides with the bottom of the chute.I

4. The combination with a vehicle body, of an end gate including twopivotally connected members normally disposed parallel, one of saidmembers being hingedly mounted upon the wagon body whereby said memberscan be arranged in an extended position and at an inclination to theground to form the bottom of a chute, said chute including side membersnormally arranged parallel with the sides of the wagon body, said sidemembers being pivotally mounted upon the wagon body and adapted to bearranged at f the opposite sides of said bottom to form the chute, meansfor detachably connecting the side members with the bottom, and meansfor holding the sections of the bottom. normally folded to provide anend gate.

5. The combination with a vehicle body, of an end gate including twopivotally connected sections normally disposed parallel, one of saidsections being hingedly mounted upon the wagon body, means for holdingsaid sections vertically and including a looking bar extendedtransversely of the end ate and removably secured to the wagon body,said sections being adapted to be swung to an extended position and atan inclination to the ground to form the bottom of a chute, said chuteincluding side members pivoted upon the wagon body and normally foldedagainst the sides thereof, said side members being adapted to be swungto positions at the opposite sides of said bottom, means for detachablysecuring the side members to the bottom of the chute, and means wherebysaid locking bar may be detachably associated with the said side membersof the latter.

6. The combination with a vehicle body, of an end gate includingpivotally cond nected sections normally arranged parallel,

means for holding said sections in an upright *POSltlOIl, one of saidsections being hingedly mounted upon the wagon body,

whereby said sections may be extended at an inclination to the ground toprovide a bottom for a chute, said chute including side memberspivotally mounted upon the wagon body and normally folded against thesides thereof, said sides including spaced standards and panels mountedthereon, said side members being adapted to be swung upon their pivotsto the opposite sides of said bottom, means for detachably connectingthe side members with the bottom, one standard of each side including apivoted section adapted to be arranged vertically, a bracing element,and means for detachably connecting the bracing element with the pivotedsections of said standard for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

